Grave vault



April 17, 1928.

' H. R.- RICK GRAVE VAULT Filed Aug. 10. 1926 Pum A t. 17, 1928.

UNI ED s A'r-as PAT HERBERT B. RICK, OF OHIO.

v vnun'rf Application filed August 10,1926. Serial No. 128,470.

' This invention relates to grave vaults, and

one object of the invention is to provide the vault with a base and acasing which may be securely locked upon the base and a watertight andmoisture proof joint formed between thebase and easing.

Another ob'ect of the invention is to so construct the base and casingthat they may be formed of strongsheet metal.

10 The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereinFigure 1 is a perspective view of the improved grave vault; P Fig. 2 isa top plan view of the base; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional viewthrough the vault; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional viewshowing the construction of one of the latches carried by the base andthe manner in which a'sea'led joint is formed between the base andcasing, and

. 5 is ase'ctional view taken on the line 55 .of Fig. 4 with the latchretracted. I

The grave vault forming the subject-matter of this invention includes abase indicated in general'by the numeral 1 and a casing indicated ingeneral by the numeral 2.

The base and the casing or body portion are both preferably formed ofsheet steel, although other materials may be employed. The base isstamped to form depending walls 3 at its sides and ends from the lowerends of which extend horizontally disposed ledges 4, and these ledgescarry a seamless gasket 5 which is formed of rubber or any othercompressible material. At their outer edges the ledges 4 carry upwardlyextending flanges 6 from which extendlips 7 disposed in overlyingrelation to the packing or gasket 5 and serving to firmly hold thepacking in place. Tongues 8 are struck from the side walls 3 of the baseand bent outwardly to form openin s 9'and are formed with openings 10which are adapted to receive pins or keys 13, by means of. which thelatches 14 may be temporarily held in a retracted or inoperative sition.The latches [14 each consists of a p unger which slidably passes throughone of the openings 9 and is' formed with a reduced inner end portion 15about which is coiled a spring 16. The spring 16 bears against one wallof a housing. 17 which is disposed beneath the base and serves toyieldably retain the latch projected through. the opening 9, as shownin'Fig. 4.

- It should be noted that the outer end of each latch bar or plunger 14is beveled, as shown I at 18, so that, when the pins or keys 13 arewithdrawn from the openings formed in the tongues 8 and 10 and thelatches projected, they may be moved inwardly by the body or casing 2 asthe casing is set upon the base. Pillars 19 are struck upwardly from thebase so that, when a coflin is placed in the vault, it will be held inspaced relation to the main surface of the base. While only four of thepillars have been illustrated, it will be obvious that others may beprovided if desired.

The casing 2 is open at its bottom and is provided with a top wall 20and side and end walls 21 and 22. The casing may be pressed from asingle blank of steel or the end walls may be formed separate andsecured to the top and side walls in. any desired manner. Adjacefit theopen lower end of the casing, the side and end walls are pressedoutwardly to define flared portions 23, and these flared portionsterminate at their lower ends in inturned flanges 24 having upwardlyextending lips 25 at their inner edges. The inwardly extending flanges24 provide wide bearing surfaces which will rest u on the gasket orpacking 5 without cutting into the packing. Since the casing is formedof sheet steel, it will be heavy and, therefore, the portion of thepacking upon which the inturned flanges '24 rest will be compressed andan air-tight joint formed. When the cover is lowered in a grave bysuitable slings passed through handles 26 which extend from the 'sidewalls 21, the latch bars will be moved inwardly against the action ofthe springs 15 when their beveled outer end faces 18 are engaged by theinturned flanges 24 but as soon as the upturned lips 25 move downwardlyout of engagement with the ends of the latch-bars or plungers, the sprins 16 v Therefore, the coflin contained in the vault will be protected.By having the base provided with the perforated tongues 8 to receive thekeys 13, the latches may be retained in an inoperative position so thatthere will be no danger of the casing being locked to the baseprematurely. -Handles 27- are provided upon the base so that it may beeasily lifted before the cover is secured in place.

V Having thus described the invention, I claim: V

A grave vault comprising a base having depending marginal walls,provided with outstanding flanges at their lower edges, the outer edgeportionsof said flanges being bent upwardly an-d'inwardly to provide apocket, a continuous gasket extending about they walls and seated insaid pocket, said walls having tongues cut horizontally therefrom andbent outwardly to form openings and tongues extending outwardly fromopposite margins thereof, housings mounted beneath said base inenclosing relation to said openmcearee ings, latches in said housingsspring pressed outwardly through said openings, the tongues extendingoutwardly from the walls at oppositemargins of the openings beingadaptedto be engaged by said latches to securely hold the casing in engagementwith said base.

HERBERT a. more. L. 51

. 25 In testimony whereof ll afiix my signature.

